Filler tray for eggs and the like



April11,1939. NO 2,154,193

FILLER TRAY FOR EGGS AND THE LIKE Filed April 28, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l April 1 l, 1939. L. BENOIT 2,154,193

FILLER TRAY FOR EGGS AND THE LIKE Filed April 28, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2- April 11, 1939. BEND 2,154,193

FILLER TRAY FOR EGGS AND THE LIKE Filed April 28, 1937 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE FILLER TRAY FOR EGGS AND THE LIKE Leon Benoit, New York, N. Y.

Application April 28, 1937, Serial No. 139,360

9 Claims.

. trays in combination with fillers or other holders in which eggs (or other articles) may be accommodated and protected, each tray when empty, being nestable with other trays so as to occupy a minimum of space for storage or shipment, and each tray including certain demountable supports which cooperate with its associated filler to carry eggs (or other articles) at points which are removed from the outside walls whereby external shocks are not transmitted to the eggs. The structure of such a tray, furthermore, is such that it may receive the load from other superposed trays without transmission of any part thereof to the filler or other holder that is supported within the tray.

A filler tray of the kind described is advantageous not only in the respect of its capacity for repeated re-use, but also in its durability, light weight, compactness, inexpensiveness,and ability to meet the commercial requirements which now obtain with respect to cases of standard size, etc. In addition, such a tray serves, when removed from the case, as a convenient holder into which eggs, as candied or graded, may be deposited directly. By the use of my improved tray, I am able to dispense altogether with the usual flats and fillers, using instead only the trays (which are permanent) in combination with removable fillers or holders which may thereafter, if desired, be inserted within appropriate cartons, without removal of the contents, the cartons with fillers thereupon constituting a complete package, suitable for delivery to the consumer.

Certain exemplifications of this invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a case with a portion of its walls broken away to exhibit therewithin a tier of loaded trays embodying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one tray complete with filler ready for the reception of eggs or other articles;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the tray, minus filler, with a single cross support and a single strip assembled in place;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a corner brace which may be advantageously employed for reinforcement of the tray;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a plurality of the trays, empty and arranged in nested relation to occupy a minimum of space, as for storage or shipment;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken through the tray on line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 is a similar view taken on line 'I-! of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 which is a perspective view of the tray shows accommodated therewithin one or more fillers of modified construction;

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the tray of Fig. 12 is a transverse section through the tray,

taken on line l2i2 of Fig. 8.

The tray T which is illustrated comprises two pairs of opposed walls l5 and I6, respectively, connected at their corners as with the aid of an angle piece I! (see Fig. 4) which may be riveted or spot-welded in place. The tray walls are slanted inwardly toward the bottom where an inwardly extending flange l8, continuous or otherwise, is provided. Along their upper edges the tray walls are shown as provided with an outwardly extending flange H! which may be continuous or otherwise. The trays so formed are adapted to be nested in the manner shown in Fig. 5 so as to occupy a minimum of space when stored or shipped.

In each of the tray walls is provided a plurality of aligned openings 20, shown as six in number, there being formed in the walls on opposite sides of the opening slots 21 which, in the walls I 5, are positioned relatively low, and in the walls I6, relatively high. Extended between the lower op posite slots in the walls I5 are strips 25 of paper or the like, each having near one end a notch 26 in its lower edge. When the strips are inserted in place (only one such strip being shown in Fig. 3 for clearness of illustration), the notches will engage with the lower ends of the slots to secure the strips against endwise movement. A plurality of thin bars 2! of durable material, such as metal, are also extended between the upper opposite slots in the walls l6, being provided with notches 28 in their lower edges whereby to secure these bars against endwise movement when fitted in place.

A tray adapted to receive strips and bars of the kind described may be put in condition for use by fltting in place a flller F which may be formed from a sheet of appropriate material, such as chipboard, which is extended in zig-zag fashion across the tray between its opposite walls l5. Each upper fold of the sheet is carried over and sustained upon one of the bars, a series of depending troughs being thereby provided therebetween. The sheet is formed with a plural series of aligned slots 29 for receiving there through the strips (see Fig. 7). In this way the sheet is positively secured within the tray, the several troughs being subdivided by the strips to form individual cells after the manner of a cellular filler whose suspension within the tray is such as to provide a resilient support in each of its cells for the accommodation of a fragile article such as an egg.

In commercial practice each tray should be dimensioned to accommodate a 6 x 6 filler having a capacity of three dozen eggs. A plurality of trays in superposed relation (five being the usual number) are adapted for reception in a case C such as is standard in the egg industry. When placed one upon the other, the lower flange will rest upon the filler folds directly over the upper edges of the bars which afford a solid rest therefor. Inasmuch as the tray walls are slanted inwardly, the projection strip and bar ends will lie to the inside of the outer edge of the upper flange, and so be maintained free of contact with the walls of the case in which the trays are stacked. The free ends of the sheet which forms the filler are maintained in an upper position by engagement with the strips so that there is support afforded to the filler on both sides .of every trough. As eggs are introduced into the troughs, the walls of the filler are bowed outwardly somewhat, but without interference with the strips which maintain a free sliding engagement therewith.

The tray structure thus far described applies to the showing in all the figures of the drawings. In Figs. 8 to 12, however, I have illustrated a filler F of different type. In this case I may dispense altogether with the strips, relying entirely upon the bars for support of one or more molded fillers so configured as to define individual cells each adapted for the accommodation of an egg or like article. As shown clearly in Fig. 12, such a filler may have a 2 x 6 or 4 x 6 arrangement of cells, combined with others to afford a total capacity of 36 cells. Each such filler is suspended along its ridges 30 by one or more of the bars and by engagement of its trough ends 3| within proximate openings 20 in the tray walls 16. This interfitting of the trough ends within the wall openings is facilitated by the inward slant of the tray walls in the manner already described. When the trays are removed from a packing or shipping case, the fillers with eggs therein may be taken out of the trays for transfer into cartons or boxes which are to be distributed to the consuming trade. There is accordingly a saving in the handling of the eggs as compared with the standard practice of using flats and fillers from which the eggs must be removed into cartons for retail sales.

From the preceding description it will be apparent that I have provided a tray which is suitable for reception within storage or shipping cases of standard construction, each such tray when empty being nestable with others so as to occupy a minimum of space. The trays together with the supporting bars are of permanent character and may be used over and over again. The paper elements which are fitted into the trays are inexpensive and hence economical for single use. The fillers, as already indicated, may be transferred directly into cartons or boxes suitable for delivery to the consuming public. The waste of paper stock is accordingly kept down to a minimum as is also the handling of eggs from the moment that the trays are filled until the consumer removes the eggs for use.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a bottomless filler-tray for packaging eggs having walls which incline inwardly downwardly, a flange extended inwardly from the bottom edge of the tray, a flange extended outwardly from the upper edge of the tray, and vertical partition-forming means removably extended between and interlooking with certain of the tray walls affording a support for the bottom flange of a second tray superposed thereon, a multi-celled filler removably supported on said partition forming means for holding eggs in spaced relation to said superposed trays, said removable supporting means and filler, when taken out, permitting the superposed tray to descend into the lower tray for nesting therewithin.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a tray open at top and bottom and having inclined side walls, a plural-troughed filler fitted within the tray, and means for supporting a second tray extended between said inclined walls and serving to loosely support the filler thereon between certain of the troughs thereof whereby the filler may be lifted from the supporting means of said tray for re-use within another container and the tray arranged in nested relation with a second tray.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a walled tray having upper and lower nonintersecting supports removably supported at their ends in the walls thereof to extend transversely therebetween, and a filler comprising a sheet folded to provide plural troughs having also plural sets of slots aligned transversely of the troughs, the upper supports serving to engage and support the sheet between the troughs and the lower supports being extended through the slots of the sheet to subdivide the troughs.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a fillertray having walls which incline inwardly downwardly, and partition-forming means removably extended between certain of the tray walls affording a support for a second tray superposed thereon, a relatively flexible cellular filler supported upon said partition means to extend downwardly therebetween, said removable supporting means and filler, when taken out, permitting the superposed tray to descend into the lower tray for nesting therewithin.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a fourwalled tray opening outwardly toward the top, a plural-troughed filler adapted to be fitted within the tray, means extended between and removably supported by opposite tray walls adapted to loosely support the filler thereon between certain of the filler troughs whereby said supporting means may be removed through the supporting walls of the tray and the filler lifted from the tray for re-use within another container, and separate means removably supported at its ends by other walls of the tray unit and extending crosswise through the filler troughs below said other supporting means for defining cells within said troughs.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a fillertray comprising a tray unit having certain of its opposite walls provided with opposed openings therein, a pluraliity of supports extending between the said opposite walls, and amolded cellular filler unit depended from the supports with portions thereof extended into the spaces therebetween in the form of cellular troughs, the lower ends of which are extended into opposed openings of the tray walls for support therewithin.

'7. As a new article of manufacture, a trayfiller comprising a tray unit having supporting bars extended thereacross, a troughed filler loosely suspended from the bars, and separate means removably supported at its ends by the tray unit and extended crosswise through the filler troughs below said other supporting means for defining cells within said troughs.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a trayfiller comprising a tray unit with slanting walls adapted for interfitting with other like units, removable supports fitted within the tray, and a filler unit adapted for fitting within the tray suspended in part upon the supports and sustained in part by engagement with the slanting walls of the tray unit.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a fillertray comprising a unit having opposite walls, a plurality of supports extending between the said opposite walls, and a molded cellular filler unit depended from the supports with portions thereof extended into the spaces therebetween in the form of cellular troughs, the lower ends of which are adapted to engage with the tray walls for support therewith.

LEON BENOIT. 

